Quarantine process under review

• Request to exempt vaccinated travellers 
• Proposal to reduce quarantine period 
• Travel bubble considered for businessmen 

By Easwaran Rutnam 

The quarantine process, including for travellers who have received the coronavirus vaccine is under review, Health Ministry sources said.  

Sources said that the proposal had been made when the coronavirus task force met on Monday afternoon.  A request was made to consider if the mandatory quarantine can be exempted for travellers who have received the Covid vaccine. 

As a result, the Health Ministry’s technical committee on Covid-related matters is now studying the proposal and will make recommendations to the task force.  Most Sri Lankans have received the first jab of the vaccine and are expected to receive the second dose in April-May.  Health Ministry sources told Daily Mirror that a proposal was also made to reduce the quarantine period for Sri Lankans returning from overseas.  According to sources, a suggestion was made to reduce the number of days in quarantine to 7 days, but some felt it was not practical. It was later suggested reducing the quarantine period to 10 days from the current 14 days. 

Sources said that a proposal was also made to review the quarantine period for business travellers. 

The proposal includes reconsidering the quarantine period for business travellers or reducing the quarantine period. 
It was also proposed that local and foreign businessmen be allowed to travel in Sri Lanka under a travel bubble. 

• Request made to consider if the mandatory quarantine can be exempted for travellers who have received the Covid vaccine